What is Andropause?

August 10 2016

Jacqueline Rosenhek

We have all heard of menopause, it is an inevitable point in a woman’s life where she no longer menstruates, this typically happens to a woman between her late forties and early fifties. Many of us know the symptoms and signs of a woman experiencing menopause but what many people may not know is that men go through a similar life experience called andropause!

Andropause is the condition in which testosterone in men starts to decline. The symptoms are more gradual than the ones for menopause but some of them can be very similar such as loss of libido and difficulty getting and maintaining an erection, fatigue, depression, mood swings, some even experience hot flashes!

Much like many other health issues, andropause is very much affected by lifestyle. Things like poor diet habits, excessive drinking, stress, poor sleep cycles, even aftermath from certain types of surgeries will affect it. It is common for men to feel a bit self-conscious about going through andropause, especially when it comes to difficulty with sexual performance; thankfully there are measures that can be taken to lessen the negative effects of andropause.

Plants like maca or ginseng can be very useful in countering some of the negative aspects of andropause provided the person taking these supplements does not have high blood pressure, frequent anxiety or takes blood thinners or is undergoing hormone replacement therapy. Maca and ginseng both help with restoring energy as well as combatting stress related fatigue. They are also quite useful in restoring the libido. Another useful supplement would be the amino acid tribulus. Tribulus helps in the production of testosterone, thus helping to stave off some of the effects of andropause like loss of libido or difficulty with getting and maintaining an erection.

Besides supplements, reducing alcohol intake and following a healthy diet consisting of lean proteins, antioxidants and fresh vegetables can have a very positive long term effect with reducing the effects of andropause since alcohol does lower testosterone in the blood and abusing alcohol can have long term effects on erectile function. Avoiding stress through meditation, proper sleep and physical activity that uses a lot the muscles in the body (weight training, swimming, martial arts etc.) are also contributing factors to a much healthier andropause. It may be an unavoidable part of a man’s life, but when approached with a healthy, positive perspective, andropause does not have to be nearly as depressing as one would think.